tellectual abilities, or of common fenfe, could be warmly attached to the chriftian religion: It af fords us pleasure to know, that there is a fociety of men, highly refpectable for their rank and their Literature; who are alfo highly refpectable, for their warm and firm attachment to the christian religion; that religion, which, though treated by fome as foolishnefs, is wisdom, even the wisdom of God ; that religion, which, like its divine author, is full of grace and of truth.

Let us, my friends, who are not members of this worthy Society, chearfully give them all the countenance and aid we can. Though they give their own attendance and labour without fee or reward, yet we must all be fenfible, that the education of fo many thousand children cannot be carried on without a very great annual expence. They have indeed large funds under moft excellent management, but which are far from being equal to the extent of their wife and generous undertaking. Let us give in proportion to the importance of the object, and to our own abilities. Neither God nor man requires that we fhould give charity beyond our respective abilities. These are known to ourselves, and to that God to whom we are indebted for every good thing which

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we poffefs, and to whom we must one day account for the ufe we have made of the treasures of every kind, with which he hath intrusted us. Let us give then, as in the presence of God, from our hearts. If our gift be proportioned to the importance of the object and to our own abilities, and flows from a heart glowing with love to God and to man, though fmall as the poor widows two mites, it will not efcape the notice or the high approbation of him who faid of the poor widow, that of her penury fhe gave more into the treasu ry than all the rich, who, of their abundance, had thrown much into it. Our gifts bestowed from fuch principles, and in such proportions, will profit ourselves, by increafing and confirming in us that charity which makes it more blessed for us to give than to receive. That love which is the bond of perfectness, the greatest of the christian graces, and which, when prophecies fhall fail, when tongues fhall ceafe, and when knowledge shall vanish away, never faileth. Our gifts, however small in themselves, viewed feparately, yet when combined into one mafs, under the fkilful management of this honourable Society, will become great, and will be of much use to many thousands of indigent children. As it is by a combination of many small articles of expence, that a great annual expenditure

expenditure is made up, fo it is by a combination of many fmall contributions, that a great annual fund, equal to that expenditure is provided. Though every one of us were to lay out the fame fums, as individuals, for the purpose of propagagating religion, the ufeful arts, and industry in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, thefe fcattered fums would not do half the good which the precife fame fums will do when combined in one fum, under the management of this Society.

We, my friends, are men of the fame nature and feelings, we are chriftians, I trust, of the fame religious principles, we are citizens of the fame free country with the pious and patriotic members of this honourable Society: What therefore is their duty, what affords them fuch refined and real pleasure, is equally our duty, and will afford us a fimilar pleasure.

If by the bleffing of God upon the gofpel of Jefus, they and we have been made alive in Christ Jefus; if thereby we have been taught and enabled to feel and act as rational and accountable creatures, placed for a fhort and uncertain time in this world, and destined to live for ever in a future world; we will be grateful to God for

this

this the best, and the dearest bought blefling of heaven.

If we be grateful to God for this bleffing, we will certainly exprefs our gratitude, by doing all we can to communicate the fame bleffing to others, especially to fuch of our countrymen as are yet in a great measure ignorant of it. This, too, my friends is a return to God, which fhall itself be fully repaid. For he that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given, will he pay him again.

ABSTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF

THE SOCIETY IN SCOTLAND

FOR PROPAGATING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE,

From July 1785 to July 1786.

SOCIETY-HALL, JULY 6. 1786.

T HE Directors of the Society refolve to continue to give as ufual, an abstract of their proceedings, and a general state of their affairs, for the fatisfaction of the public, and of the friends of this pious and beneficent inftition.

For an account of their former management, they refer to the fummary state of the Society, published in 1782, and to the appendixes of their annual fermons published fince that time,

In the appendix to their last year's fermon, it was mentioned, that the tranflation of the Old Teftament into the Gaelic language, was going on with all proper expedition. The Pentateuch, or first part of it, tranflated by the Rev Mr. John Stuart, Minifter of the Gofpel at Lufs, was then published. The Society have, fince that time, the

pleasure